UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The documentary film, “ESSC made EESI,” will have its premiere screening on Monday, Nov. 6. The documentary details the history of the Penn State Environmental Systems Science Institute (EESI), which began in 1986 as the Earth System Science Center (ESSC).
The historical documentary features the people who put Penn State at the forefront of Earth system science research and education. The documentary will be shown as part of EESI’s EarthTalks lecture series at 4 p.m. in 112 Walker Building on the University Park campus. Screening is free and open to the public.
“This film tries to document the arc of development of Earth and environmental sciences in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences,” said Susan Brantley, Barnes Professor of Geosciences and Evan Pugh University Professor of Geosciences. “The ESSC, and now EESI, model is for faculty funding to come from a home department as well as an interdisciplinary University center. In this regard, like so many other activities, EESI was the initiator of an idea that went campuswide.”
The vision for ESSC began in the early 1980s through a strategic planning process that involved Penn State’s central administration and the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS). Recognizing the need to study the Earth as a whole system, the goal was to bring together faculty from different disciplines to collaborate on systems-level interdisciplinary research in earth system science.
“From the start, ESSC was conceived as a center that would take a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to studying the Earth as a system,” said Alan Taylor, professor of geography and ecology. “A focus on building interdisciplinary research was uncommon back in the 1980s when ESSC was established, and the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences developed a clever approach to get buy-in from departments. Positions were co-funded between ESSC and departments, and this brought in exceptional faculty to departments that might not have hired this kind of scholar on their own. This expanded the scope of Earth sciences-related research across departments and the co-funding model is now common in research institutes across Penn State.”
Eric Barron, president emeritus of Penn State, was appointed as the first director in 1986 and led through 2003. Brantley served as director for 18 years and stepped down in 2021. Taylor served as interim director from July 2021 to December 2022, and Erica Smithwick, distinguished professor of geography, was appointed director in January of 2023.
Taylor, who directed the documentary, thought that it was important to capture the history of EESI.
“As an EESI faculty member, I am the beneficiary of a legacy of ideas, opportunities and leadership that created ESSC,” Taylor said. “I thought it would be worthwhile to know what those stories were, and I thought others would think so too. It was important to capture our impact on interdisciplinary research at Penn State and beyond. Moreover, the individuals who championed the center’s founding and shaped its direction in the early years are reaching the end of their careers or are retired so there was some urgency to get video interviews and move this project forward.”
EESI plans on continuing its strong focus on interdisciplinary research and building on its 37-year-history.
“The legacy of collaboration, vision and impact created by the ESSC and EESI over decades is an inspiration,” Smithwick said. “We look forward to building on this strong and lasting foundation to address the new challenges of our times, such as climate change, environmental justice, natural hazards, biodiversity and more.”
People featured in the documentary include:
- Jennifer Baka, associate professor of geography
- Richard Alley, Evan Pugh University Professor of Geosciences
- Eric Barron, president emeritus of Penn State; dean emeritus of EMS
- Seth Blumsack, professor of energy policy and economics
- Susan Brantley, Evan Pugh University Professor and Barnes Professor of Geosciences
- Robert Crane, associate vice provost for Penn State Global; professor emeritus of geography
- Kenneth Davis, professor of atmospheric and climate science
- John Dutton, dean emeritus of EMS and professor emeritus of meteorology
- William Easterling, dean emeritus of EMS and professor emeritus of geography
- Charles Hosler, dean emeritus of EMS and professor emeritus of meteorology, former senior vice president for research and dean of The Graduate School
- Bernd Haupt, associate research professor
- Christopher House, professor of geosciences
- Sarah Ivory, assistant professor of geosciences
- James Kasting, Atherton Professor and professor emeritus of geosciences
- Lee Kump, John Leone Dean in EMS
- Diana Liverman, regents' professor of geography and development and past director of the University of Arizona School of Geography, Development and Environment
- Doug Miller, research professor emeritus of geography
- Dave Pollard, research professor emeritus of geosciences
- Erica Smithwick, distinguished professor of geography
- Alan Taylor, professor of geography and ecology